PHOENIX -- Down the stretch, as they prepared to make a push for their first postseason berth since 2017, the D-backs needed someone to assert himself as a reliable arm in the bullpen.

That¡¯s when Ryan Thompson?entered the frame.

In Thompson's D-backs debut on Aug. 27, manager Torey Lovullo wanted to see how the right-hander handled a high-leverage situation. Just 11 days earlier, Thompson, who uses a submarine-style delivery inspired by Byung-Hyun Kim, had been released by the Rays. That¡¯s when Arizona picked him up.

On that August day, the D-backs watched as Thompson retired the side in the ninth inning, securing his first save with his new club.

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¡°This year, I think especially the first half of the year, there were a lot of times where I got punched in the face a little bit,¡± said Thompson, who posted a 6.11 ERA over 18 appearances with the Rays before his release. ¡°That helped me get better. Coming over here, something that I thought was really special about this team was how many different coaches that we have.¡±

Since joining the D-backs, Thompson has been an integral part of the team¡¯s improved bullpen. The right-hander ranked second among Arizona relievers with 12 innings in September, allowing one run on six hits and striking out eight.?

¡°Our bullpen really took off when he got here,¡± closer Paul Sewald said. ¡°I started to feel a little more comfortable, and we really started to roll with that group. I think that is really when everyone settled into the roles and really started to pitch their best.¡±?

In October, Thompson¡¯s role became even more important. He was used in key situations in both games of the National League Wild Card Series against Milwaukee and retired the top of the Dodgers¡¯ order in Game 2 of the NL Division Series.

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Lovullo once again turned to him when the D-backs returned to Arizona trailing 2-0 in the NL Championship Series against the Phillies. Thompson delivered, pitching three innings and allowing one run combined between Games 3 and 4.

¡°He may not strike a ton of people out,¡± D-backs pitching coach Brent Strom said. ¡°But he puts the ball in play, he doesn't walk people and he has the weapons to get both-side hitters out. He's particularly effective against righties, but that doesn¡¯t mean he can't get lefties out either. I think Torey used him quite well in that sixth-, seventh-inning role.¡±

The D-backs certainly changed the trajectory of Thompson¡¯s season, but before he was pitching in crucial postseason games, the Turner, Ore., native developed his skills at Campbell University, a small private school in Buies Creek, N.C.

¡°Campbell changed my life,¡± Thompson said this past week while wearing a shirt featuring the school¡¯s mascot, the Fighting Camel. ¡°It helped me grow up as a human being. I found my faith in the Lord there. My baseball career just took off. I had no idea how to pitch. I was just throwing good stuff over the plate. I was taught how to pitch.¡±

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He came in as an unknown junior college transfer, but Greg Goff, Campbell¡¯s head coach at the time, said that his presence was felt the moment he arrived.

Thompson had been looking for the opportunity to play Division I baseball, and with only two years of eligibility left, he knew his window to impress Major League teams was limited. He came in with a winning mentality and earned the trust of his coaches and teammates.

Asked how that mentality manifested, Goff shared how Thompson, who was too sick to travel with the team for a big road weekend series against Radford University in Virginia, ended up making the 201-mile drive himself to pitch in the series finale. He then delivered 5 1/3 innings of relief and struck out a career-high seven.

In Thompson¡¯s two years at Campbell, the team went 90-31 and won the Big South championship in 2014. As much as he credits Campbell with changing his life, Goff said Thompson changed the program forever.

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¡°This guy has such an impact on my life as a coach,¡± said Goff, who is now the head coach at Purdue. ¡°I never had a player that was such a great player but also just a tremendous teammate and person. He had a great vision of what he wanted to do. And he knew he could do it. And he did.¡±

That same determination will be key for Thompson in Philadelphia, where he could be called upon to handle another high-pressure situation on Monday night in Game 6.?

¡°We have a really deep bullpen of guys that do a lot of different things,¡± Thompson said. ¡°We're really connected. We have a lot of strong conversations and strong relationships down there in that bullpen. We all want the ball.¡±